Reading glass with adjustable line guide



P 1950 E. H. SALTER 2,521,256

READING GLASS WITH ADJUSTABLE LINE GUIDE Filed Oct. 15, 1947 Fl 5 l 1 5 \2I I7 15 2O l3 l6 14 IO 33 2H iu m ymw INVENTOR. ELSIE H. SALTER AT TO RNEY Patented Sept. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

"READING GLASS WITH ADJUSTABLE LINE GUIDE Elsie H..Salter, LosAngeles, Calif.

Applicationflctober "13, 1947, Seria'l No. 779,452

'Glaims. I

My invention relates to office equipment :and more particularly to reading glasses especially adapted to [be used in offices for the purpose-of facilitating the :copying of names from telephone books, trade guides and the like.

The object of my invention 'is to provide :a reading glass of the characterzindicated,-mounted in a rectangular frame equipped 'With legs and adapted to be placed on an opened book .ofthe class indicated.

7 Another object of my invention is to provide a reading glass of the character indicated above, the frame of which extends "over ;one :printed column of the'page, on which the reading glass stands.

A further object of my invention is to provide a reading glassof the character indicated :above the frame of which is equippedwith a 'transverse guide adaptedto be slidably moved longitudinally of the frame to indicate the printed line to be copied.

Other objects of my invention not specifically mentioned may appear in the following specification describing my invention with. reference to the accompanying drawing illustrating ;a :preferred embodiment of my invention.

It is, however, to be understood, :that my invention is not to .be limited .or restricted to the exact construction and combination .of parts described in the specification and :shown in .the drawing, but that such changes and modifications can be made, which 'fall within the scope of the claims appended thereto.

In the several figures of the drawing similar parts are designated by similar reference characters and Figure 1 is a view in top plan of .a reading glass constructed in-accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially onthe line 2--2 of Figure 1;

' Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary-side elevational view illustrating in detail the .mountingforthelever; and

Figure 5 is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on the line 5--5 of Figured.

The reading glass formingthe subject matter of my invention comprises a magnifying lens IO of conventional convex shapean-dhaving :arectangular outline.

The lens Ill :is mountedin a rectangular frame azcomprising two transverse end portions :11 of substantially angular cross section, the upper flange hf which extends substantially horizontal and the other flange of which is arranged substantially vertical.

In the inner surface of each vertical flangaza substantially horizontal groove i2 is :provided just below the horizontal flange and is adapted to receive the corresponding transverse .end of- 13136516115 Ill.

The two transverse frame end portions H are connected with each other by two longitudinal sidemembers 13 secured .to or integrally formed with the two transverse end members 11.

Each :side member .13 has an angular cross section and comprises a substantially horizontal flange I-4 and .a substantially vertical flange 45; In the latter, a longitudinal groove 1.6 .is iar-T- ranged in its inner surfacejust below the horizontal angle flange I4 at :the same levelras (the groove I 12 in they vertical flange of each transverse angle lzl, so that the longitudinal edges of the lens ltfare adapted to be;rec.eived in the longitudinal grooves 16.

Adjacent to the lower edge .of the vertical flange 15 of each angular :side frame member l3 a longitudinal slot 11 is provided and aexe tends approximately over the entire length "of the angular :side member.

At each corner of the above described frame a, a leg l8is adjustably secured to said frame a inany desired conventional manner, so that the height of each leg -:l8 may be regulated and the dens -H) may be arranged parallel to and at a preferred distance from any surface, on which the frame rests. .The lower end of each leg 'is equipped w itharubber tip H! to prevent accidental sliding movement of the reading glass on the surface supporting said glass.

A substantially rectangular guide plate 20 is slidably supported between the vertical flanges l5 of the longitudinal side members M of the frame a. At one end of said guide plate an angular bracket 2| is formed integrally with said .platejust below the top edge of the guide plate and extends through and is arranged slidably in the slot ll in the vertical flange 15 of the longitudinal side frame member 1-3. I

vAt the other end of the guide plate ill-ran outwardly extending bracket a2 is formed having the shape of a rectangular triangle, the hypotenuse of which extends upwardly and outwardly from the end edge of the guide plate, so that the upper-side of this triangle extends horizontally from said end edge and :is located below the lower'edge of the side. frame member 13.

.A guide member rb comprises a top. -plate, 2-3

3 extending horizontally through the longitudinal slot l l in the side frame member l3, to the underside of which is fixed a bracket 22 which is joined to the adjacent end edge of the plate 20. On the inner end of the top plate 23 an end piece 24 is formed extending downwardly at a right angle to the top plate, and on the lower end of the end piece a bottom guide piece 25 is formed and extends outwardly at right angles to the end piece 2|. On the outer end of the bottom guide piece a front guide 26 is formed and extends upwardly at a right angle to the bottom guide piece.

The inner end of the top plate 23 engages the lower edge of the slot II slidably and. the bottom guide piece 25 engages the bottom edge of the vertical flange IS in a like manner. The end piece 24 engages the inside surface of the vertical flange l slidably and the front guide is adapted to slide along the outside surface of said vertical flange.

When the guide member b is in the position described above, the top plate 23 extends outwardly from the frame a and on each side of the forward portion of said top plate, a short downwardly extending wing 26' is formed. A U-shaped yoke 21 is pivotall mounted on a shaft 28 extending through the wings 26 and the flanges of the yoke 21 adjacent to the ends of said parts. The U-shaped yoke is arranged so that it is substantially inverted on the top plate and the web of said yoke is located above the top plate.

A clamp lever c has a comparatively narrow intermediate portion 29, an outside finger lever portion 30 and an inside clamp portion 3|. It is welded with its narrow intermediate portion onto the web of the yoke 21, so that the clamp portion 3| is located over the horizontal flange l4 of the side frame member l3.

A helical spring 32 surrounds the shaft 28 between the wings 26. One straight end of said spring engages the underside of plate 23 and the other end of the helical spring 32 engages the lower surface of the finger lever portion 30 urging the clamp portion 3| downwardly into engagement with the horizontal flange M of the side frame member l3.

The above described reading glass is used preferably for copying addresses from telephone books, trade guides and the like.

The reading glass is placed on a page of an opened telephone book or the like, so that it extends over one column 33 of names. The legs l8 are adjusted, so that the distance from the lens Hi to the printed matter in the column 33 produces the best result in easy reading.

The finger lever 30 is pressed downwardly against the pressure of th helical spring 32 pivoting the clamp lever 0 about the shaft 28, so that the clamp portion 3| is disengaged from the top surface of the horizontal flange [4 of the side frame member l3.

The guide plate 20 is then moved into position to indicate the printed line to be copied.

The spring 32 returns the clamp lever 0 into clamping position, when the finger lever 30 is released and secures the guide plate 20 against accidental displacement.

The rubber tips I9 prevent accidental movement of the reading glass on the page on which it rests.

Having described my invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A magnifying reading device comprising a substantially rectangular frame having two longitudinal side members, a lens mounted within the frame, and a transverse guide plate arranged ver- 4 l tically between and supported on the side members to be slid along said members, said side members being provided with longitudinal slots lying in a plane passing beneath the lens, the guide plate having on one of its ends a bracket extending through the slot in the adjacent side member and slidabl engaging the same, a, triangular bracket extending from the other end of the guide plate below the adjacent side frame member, a guide member secured on top of the triangular bracket, extending through the slot in the second side member and slidably engaging the portion of said side member located under the slot therein.

2. A magnifying reading device comprising a substantially rectangular frame having two longitudinal side members, a lens mounted within the frame, and a transverse guide plate arranged vertically between and supported on the side members to he slid along said members, said side members being provided with longitudinal slots lying in a plane passing beneath the lens, the guide plate having on one of its ends, a bracket extending through the slot in the adjacent side member and slidably engaging the same, a triangular bracket extending from the other end of the guide plate below the adjacent side member, a guide member secured on top of the triangular bracket, extending through the slot in the second side member and slidably engaging the portion of said side member located under the slot therein, and a spring biased holding lever carried on the guide member for releasably engaging the adjacent side member for securing the guide plate against accidental movement relative to said frame.

3. A magnifying reading device comprising a substantially rectangular frame having two longitudinal side members, a lens mounted within the frame, and a transverse guide plate arranged vertically between and supported on the side members to be slid along said members, said side members being provided with longitudinal slots lying in a plane passing beneath the lens, the guide plate having on one of its ends a bracket extending through the slot in the adjacent side member and slidably engaging the same, a triangular bracket extending from the other end of the guide plate below the adjacent side frame member, a guide member secured on top of the triangular bracket, extending through the slot in the second side member and slidably engaging the portion of said side member located under the slot therein, a spring biased clamp lever pivotally supported on the guide member and having clamping frictional engagement with the top surface of the adjacent frame side member under the spring pressure, and a finger lever forming a part of the clamp lever for facilitating its disengagement from the frame side member.

4. A magnifying reading device comprising a substantially rectangular frame, supporting feet for positioning the frame horizontally above a supporting surface, a lens mounted within the frame, said frame having two spaced side members each of which is provided with a longitudinal slot, the plane of the slots passing beneath the lens, a relatively thin guide plate disposed vertically between the slotted side members of the frame, means connected with each vertical end edge of the guide plate adjacent to one longitudinal edge for sliding engagement in the slots whereby said plate is suspended beneath the lens to substantially span the vertical distance between the underside of the lens and the said underlying supporting surface, the said plate suspending 5 means being slidable in the slots for the movement of the plate horizontally beneath the lens, and means connected with the plate and projecting laterally beyond the outer side of one of the slotted side members for securing the plate in adjusted position.

5. A device of the character stated in claim 4, wherein the last named means comprises a laterally extended plate connected with the first mentioned plate and disposed below the plane of the top of the frame, a pivot pin carried upon and transversely of the outer end of the laterally extending plate, a lever oscillatably mounted on the pivot pin and having an end in frictional contact with the adjacent side member of the frame, and spring means forming a yielding connection between the said laterally projecting plate and said lever and constantly urging oscillation of the lever in a direction for maintaining the said frictional engagement with the side mem- 20 her of the frame.

ELSIE H. SALTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 490,086 Saum Jan. 17, 1893 919,806 Bagby Apr. 27, 1909 1,073,169 Roberts Sept. 16, 1913 1,264,267 Bugbee Apr. 30, 1918 1,611,604 I Martin Dec. 21, 1926 1,710,555 Tascarilla Apr. 23, 1929 1,892,745 Bolich Jan. 3, 1933 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 118,438 Great Britain Aug. 27, 1918 

